Prime Minister calls floods ‘catastrophic’ and pledges federal aid
Many communities in the north-western part of Australia have been led to a blockade by the floods that exceeded all previous ones, as the country’s meteorological service reported today.
The state of emergency in Kimberly – an area in the state of Western Australia about the size of California – caused the powerful weather system Elliea former tropical cyclone that brought heavy rainfall.
The city Fitzroy Crossinga community of about 1,300 people, was one of the hardest hit, with supplies arriving by airlift as roads flooded.
Recent years have seen frequent flooding in eastern Australia due to the La Nina weather phenomenon.
Some eastern areas have been hit four times by floods since 2022 caused by La Nina, usually associated with increased rainfall.
The Bureau of Meteorology said today that the intensity of the rain had eased as the storm moved east into the Northern Territory, but warned that record flooding continued in the Kimberley.
“Many roads are impassable and many communities are now blocked off,” the weather service said on its website.
The Fitzroy River reached 15.81 meters at Fitzroy Crossing on Wednesday, January 4, breaking the previous record of 13.95 meters set in 2002, a spokesman said.
State emergency authorities warned residents in other small communities of flooding in the area, which includes the seaside resort of Broome, about 2,000 kilometers north of the state capital Perth.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese yesterday called the flooding “catastrophic” and pledged federal aid.
Australian Defense Force (ADF) aircraft are assisting flood-hit communities and Chinook helicopters are on their way to help relocate residents, authorities said yesterday.
Severe flooding across Western #Australia after days of torrential rain.⛈️
While the worst of the rain has eased, some towns could be cut off for the next few days.
Further downpours expected across central parts of the country. pic.twitter.com/TUHthpCP7K
— BBC Weather (@bbcweather) January 7, 2023
RES-EMP
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
